Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-08-01
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.
FIRE COMMISSIONERS.

alton.
Saturday afternoon Fire Commissioner
Slater, accompanied by the Secretary of the
Commission and NJ. O'Meara, an aspirant
for the Office of Chief Engineer. went to
the sick room of Commissioner Conran.
who has been i'll for eight months, Tor the
purpose of holding a meeting to elect Off
GERS. The only other person present was
newspaper reporter. The meeting was
called to order by Conran, and the Com
missioners Immediately proceeded to elect
the officers. NJ. 0'Meara was nominated
by Slater for Chief Engineer and elected.
Richard Corsaw was elected assistant. NJ.
OMeara was elected Superintendent of the
Fire Alarm. The other elections were
as follows: R. Trengrove, Foreman of
the Hook and Ladder Company;
Foreman of Engine Company No
l, was given the grand bounce" and
J. A. Kelly put in his place. E. L. Cox,
Foreman of No. l NJ. Brazil, extraman
and Ii. Visker an extramen, on motion of
Slater were bounced and Thos Twyford
elected in his place. j. H. Moore also "had
offended, and he was given the &c. B."
and Al Pntchard chosen to fill the va
cancy, all on the motion of Mr. Slater Mr..
Goddard, who had been suspended ''for
good cause" by the Assistant Chief Both
Commissioners ''smeared Goddard all over
with taffy' Clerk G. W. Jackson,
A MOST AccoMMoDAT1NG CLERK,
Was reelected, and Commissioner Slater
said he hoped there would be no reduction
of salary in this Office.
The meeting was most harmonious, there
was no dissenting vote. The programme
OF no political convention was ever carried
out more satisfactorily to the powers that
controlled and manipulated it.
BONE LIVELY FUN AHEAD.
Whom the gods would destroy they
first make mad, seems to aptlv describe
the situation into which the bosses in their
unbridled greed to rule everything in
Sacramento, have plunged themselves in
claiming absolute control and domination
over the Fire Department to make it purely
and simply political boss" machine
Not content with having twelve members
of the department in the last Republican
convention to vote obediently as directed
by the machine, Chief Sullivan became
obnoxious because he attended strictly TO
his duty of putting out fires, and did not
wear out the front of his vest rubbing
against the bar of the downtown saloon,
drinking whisky and putting up political
jobs to turn honest men out of Office, to
make places for subservicnt political tools.
Nothing has transpired in this city for
many day that aroused such a degree of
indignation and condemnation as the farce
perpetrated in the sick room of Commits
Honer Conran on last Saturday, and the
more it is discussed on the streets and in
cOunting-rOoms, the more intense is the
feeling Of revolt at the absolute reign of
bossism that has settled down like a pail
over the capital city. Last night at mid
night groups of our best citizens were to be
seen on street corners making the air blue
with their denunciations of the corrupt
ing controlling power" and advocating the
holding at once Of a mass and indignation
meeting.
THE PRESENT SITUATION.
Mr.. Griffitts, President of the Board of
Fire Commissioners, who ignored the
sick bedroom meeting" as the put IN
meeting of Saturday afternoon IS now
quite generally termed, will not recognize
the so-called newly elected officers As
President of the Board, he has given Mr.
Sullivan positive orders to continue to oc-
cupy the Office. ana exercise the duties of
Chief of the Fire Department, and to per-
init no other person to assume such Office
and duties. Chief Suliyans time for
which he was elected would have expired
last night at II O'Clock if Il successor were
duly elected but President Griflitts claims
that the meeting of Saturday was not
q lawful meeting, and hence that no
successor has been chosen, and that Mr.
Sullivan holds until new Chief has been
elected in due form.
In accordance with Mr. Griffitts' orders.
Barkis is willin," and Sullivan saws he
will continue in possession of the Office,
the keys and property of the Department,
until compelled by the Courts to yield
them up. Wealthy citizens told him last
night TO go ahead and employ the best
counsel he could procure and they would
see the bill paid.
Mr.. Grifitts says that all accounts for
pay of the members of the Fire Depart
ment must have his signature, and that he
will sign no payroll for the pay of officers
and members whom il is pretended were
elected on Saturday" On the other
hand, those who were bounced at
the Saturday meeting, will he says,
be retained upon the roll aud be
paid as usual. Chief Sullivan last
night, put the horse that he drives
(which belongs to the Fire Department.
into down town stable, and gave strict
instructions that no one was 10 be allowed
TO take it, unless by his orders or that of
Mr.. Griffitts.
1t is impossible that the situation can re-
main thus many hours without collision
of authority, If it does not occur even be-
fore this reaches the reader this morning.
The two Commissioners, it is stated, were
acting under advice OF counsel in the mat
ter of holding the meeting on Saturday
afternoon, and claim they are impregnable
in their action and position, and it is said,
IN the language of Boss Tweed, snap their
fingers and say, What are You going TO do
about it2'
On Saturday morning. b. W. Kavanaugh,
a clerk ia the City Water Works (of re-
cent appointmenU, sought out Chief SulIi-
van and anxiously urged him to publish
a card denying the statement published in
the RECORD Union, that be had several
times approached Mr.. Sullivan and his
friends with the proposition that for $500
he would be allowed, by the powers that be,
10 retain his position. Mr.. Sullivan indig-
nantly replied Publish card denying
it? deny nothing of the kind. but l viii
prOre it If necessary"